Am I Evil Too?
by Airame Phantom
Summary: Sequel to 'I'm Your Boyfriend' Picks up six weeks after the ending. This time, it's a little bit deep. Every now and then, I will include music lyrics that seem to fit. It's horror in a sense. Depends on your standards. Enjoy!
1. Prologue

A/N: I hope I didnt keep you guys waiting!**

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**Am I Evil Too?**

**Chapter One**

**What Once Was Normal, Now Is Destructive**

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Danny sat in his room, six weeks later, reading his math book. Or rather, he would be anyway, if he weren't asleep. "Wake up!" the words penetrated his once pleasant dreams. He groaned and shifted on the bed, but didn't wake. "Wake up! You're gonna be late!"

"For what?" he asked, still half-asleep.

"School!"

He bolted straight up. "What?" he asked.

"It's Monday, Danny, and the bus leaves in five minutes! I'm not going to drive you there either as punishment. I've been trying to get you to wake up for nearly ten minutes," she said.

"You can't do that," he said. She looked at him challengingly. He didn't waste time. He got out of bed, making his math book fall onto the floor with a loud clap. Jazz watched him run out the room, then return a minute later. He practically slid towards his backpack, putting his math book in it and snatching his homework from his desktop, putting it in there too. He stood, closing the zipper of the purple backpack. "Homework, brushed my teeth..." he mumbled to himself, checking things off in his head.

"Danny," Jazz said. "You may want to put on some shoes." Danny looked at his feet.

"Shoes!" he nearly shouted. He looked around frantically for them. Where were his shoes? They were on his feet last night. At least that's what he remembered. He spotted them under his bed. He got down on his knees and pulled them out. Shifting so he'd be sitting down, he put both sneakers on. "Okay," he said, grabbing his backpack again. "Shoot, I'm gonna be late!"

Jazz giggled then. He glared at her. "What?" he asked.

"Danny," she said. "In case you forgot, you do know you can fly there, right? And besides, the bus already left."

Danny's jaw dropped. He'd been so worked up about the bus, he'd forgotten he could fly there instead. He sighed, smacking his forehead in annoyance and disbelief. "I hate it when this happens," he mumbled.

"Really? I kind of enjoy it," Jazz said. "But I was telling you the truth. Bye, Danny."

She exited his room coolly. Danny walked over to the door and slammed it shut. That was the last time he was trusting her to be his alarm clock in the morning. The only way she got him to wake up was by telling him that he was going to be late because he missed the bus when he was so frantic about a test that morning.

Test. His eyes grew wide in realization. "Aw man!" he shouted. He had a test in twenty minutes! If he could study on his way there, there was no problem. But he didn't know what the test was on! He had to leave the classroom before the teacher could tell them because of a ghost.

Now because of that ghost, he was sure to fail the test and the class. Then he would have to miss having a great summer vacation with his friends because he failed and...

Danny stopped the train of thought. Standing in front of the mirror, he finally realized what was happening. Fists where his hands were once open; eyes glowing green with anger; and shoulders trembling with anger; not to mention his thoughts were becoming more and more angry in his head. He blinked. It was as if he didn't recognize himself anymore. He'd turned so short-tempered since Vlad happened. He was constantly getting in arguments and actually fighting back when people bullied him. He once knocked Dash so hard in the stomach, the guy's breath was literally knocked out of him. Danny hadn't been able to believe he'd done that. To make things worst, he'd used his ghost-strength to punch Dash, making the punch more powerful.

He'd gotten in trouble for it, of course, and his parents had been furious that he'd gotten in a fight. They had no idea how many fights he'd gotten into. If they knew, then they wouldn't have been so harsh on their punishment. Grounded for a month. Not that it hadn't happened before, but Danny knew he'd gotten off easy that time.

Sighing, the boy quickly cleared his head of all thoughts. He couldn't prevent himself from thinking as if ever ghost was out to get him, it just happened. Some times, he thought, he felt as if he needed to just take his anger out on something. Other times he couldn't cool down and just had to get away from everyone and everything because he was afraid he might hurt someone - physically or verbally.

This had all started happening since Vlad's kidnapping of Sam and his having to do all the trials. Danny still did not understand what had happened back there, but he had a feeling it had something to do with his temper these days.

Everything that was once normal to him could now set him off like a bomb ready to explode. Every little dispute could set him off, anything as trivial as a small joke against him. He just wished everything would go back to normal and not seem so destructive.

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E/N: Here's your sequel! Man, my muse is bothering me so much, I have too much to up-date and so little time! Good thing vacation is coming up! Can you believe I don't get out 'til the 30? 

--Airamé Phantom


	2. I Swear It

A/N: This chapter leads a little into an unknown plot only almost basically known to me and Axel. But I'm pretty sure the plot is fuzzy even to her. Oh well, I'll try to make things clear soon enough! Also, the lyrics are from random songs from Papa Roach and Linkin Park. I don't own the songs. And they're not in order. I'll only put parts of the lyrics that, to me, deal with the chapter. **

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**Chapter Two**

**I Swear It**

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_"And I've got nothing to say  
__I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face  
__I was confused  
__Looking everywhere  
__Only to find  
__That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind  
__So what am I  
__What do I have but negativity  
__'Cause I can't justify the way everyone is looking at me  
__Nothing to lose  
__Nothing to gain  
__Hollow and alone  
__And the fault is my own  
__The fault is my own..."_

* * *

Danny picked up flight soon afterwards, glad for his ghost powers for once. He'd been happy to have them before, but this time he was only glad, not that happy about it.

The school finally came into view and he landed on the roof, invisible. He, for one, did not want to be spotted by any random students, let alone Valerie. He phased through the roof and down into the halls of the school. He found himself on the first floor, boys' bathroom. Making sure no one was there, he quickly resumed human form and exited.

Now to find Sam. He hadn't talked to her since Friday because this weekend was supposed to be his alone time. He'd been doing that often these past few weeks, going around alone. Sure he still hung out with Sam and Tucker, especially Sam, but he just was afraid to be around them. More now that Tucker seemed to pick on Danny because he some times got a little over-protective. It was actually kind of funny.

Walking through the halls, Danny realized he was in the wrong territory. Bad news. This particular hall was almost never walked by students of the 'geek/loser' class. He could hardly believe there was actually a social class system between the students. Not many of the teacher know about it, of course, since they'd probably consider it a type of prejudice or stereotypical thing. The ones who did though, either turned the other cheek, or just ignored it.

Out of nowhere, someone walked right into Danny. He was big, most-likely the new football player on the Caper High football team. He had short brown hair, spiked up on his head. His jacket was just like the ones of all the other jocks at the school. Not to mention that this guy always seemed to have something to tell Danny to either humiliate him, or make himself look way better than Danny in front of Sam. Show-off. His name is Luis Sanchez, cousin of no one other than Paulina Sanchez. They would be the perfect couple if they weren't related.

Danny was knocked down from the sheer force of the shove. "Watch it," Luis said in a harsh tone.

Danny picked himself up. "You watch it, jerk," he mumbled quietly as Luis began to walk away. Luis turned back around.

"What was that?' he asked.

"I said you watch it," Danny repeated. "Want me to spell it out for you?"

"Please do," Luis said, walking up to Danny only to make himself look much bigger.

"I'm not going to fight you," Danny stated, not wanting to hurt the guy.

"Now, you have to, little man," Luis sneered.

"I said," Danny started again.

"I know what you said," Luis said. "I don't care. What's wrong? Ya scared?"

"I'm not scared of anything, let alone you," Danny said firmly. This guy didn't know what was coming. But Danny didn't want to fight him. He was scared of how far he may go. If Luis were smart, he would back off.

"Luis, I don't think this is a good idea," Kwan's voice penetrated the tension building over the two students.

"I don't think he's gonna do anything," Luis said. "What he did to Dash might have been just an act. You're not gonna do anything, Fenton, are ya?" Luis shoved Danny backwards, causing the boy to stumble.

"I'm not running scared tonight," Danny said, going into a battle-like stance: leaning forward slightly, knees bent just barely, and feet apart at shoulder width. "Like the song goes: I'm not taking this anymore; I've climbed these walls before. I know every trick and every loose brick."

"Nice," Luis said, knowing which song he spoke of. "But it doesn't seem to work for you, does it?" Danny's eyes narrowed, his smirk vanished.

"You don't know what does or doesn't," Danny said. He decided Luis was all talk and no game. He stood, put one hand in his pocket. "I'd've guessed you were the type to give the first punch, apparently not."

"What are you trying to say?" Luis asked. Danny was standing in a very confident pose, even with all the people starting to gather around. There was a small smile on his face too. It was starting to annoy Luis.

"Not everyone can be strong, Luis" Danny said. "Some people are just born with a weak will."

"That's it, Fenton, no one insults me like that!" Luis shouted. Danny only smiled a little more. Luis was currently and officially infuriated. He threw a badly planned out punch Danny's way, aiming for Danny's chest.

Danny side-stepped it, watching the whole thing as if it were going in slow motion. He observed how Luis threw the punch, how his arm recoiled to try again. He didn't give him time to. Danny, moving almost too quick for his moves to be analyzed in counter-attack, allowed now hesitation to mark his movements. He located a weak spot, used his speed to advantage and, with as little ghost strength as possible, brought his elbow to connect with Luis's lower left ribs.

Time seemed to speed up again for Danny, him suddenly feeling a little dizzy. He hadn't noticed the strange energy running through his system until now. He shook his head, then realized that he was standing in front of a fallen Luis. The other teen was on the floor, quivering as if he'd just been hit in five different places instead of one. Kwan quickly went to help his fallen comrade. "Sheesh, Fenton, your almost broke his ribs!" Kwan noted.

"What?" Danny asked. "I barely...I mean...I..." Everything seemed a blur. Had he really hit him that hard? He didn't notice it. God, why'd he do that? Why didn't he just turn away? He took a step back, afraid to hurt anyone else. He had to find a way to get himself under control. Anger management? No, he didn't have anger issues. At least, he didn't think so. Maybe talking to Jazz will help. She'll understand. She is all about psychology, right. Then she has to know what's wrong, or at least help him to find out. "I gotta go," he said quickly and rushed out the hallway and into another as Luis began to sit up.

"Hope you're satisfied!" Kwan yelled after him. "Come on, man, get up."

"I'm...gonna get that...punk," Luis mumbled, swearing to himself that he would make Danny curse the day he crossed him, Luis Sanchez. "I swear it."

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E/N: I don't own 'Stop Looking/Start Seeing' by Papa Roach nor 'Somewhere I Belong' by Linkin Park. 

--Airamé Phantom


	3. I Don't Want To Hurt You

A/N: I hope you like this chapter. It's taken me awhile to figure out what to do with it. You chose the song Axel, perfect choice might I add.**

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**Chapter Three**

**I Don't Want To Hurt You**

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_"You better watch out  
If you don't know what's going on around you  
You better think twice  
Before you fly off the handle and lose it  
You better join us  
Before you get lost in the shuffle  
You better rise against  
The demons that are gonna try and hold you down..."  
_

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Danny ran from hall to hall to get into the one where his, Tucker, and Sam's lockers were. The place was crowded with students, but skirting around them was easy. He reached his locker and found the one person he'd been looking for. 

"Sam!" he shouted, catching the Goth girl's attention.

"Hey, Danny," she said, smiling at him. Danny reached and without so much as a little warning, embraced her tightly. "Uhm...what's the occasion?" she asked, slightly confused at this. Danny let go and looked at her with frantic blue eyes. Immediately she new what had happened. "Not again," she whispered.

"I really didn't mean to this time," Danny said, walking away slightly, then turning back to her. He was pacing, not a good sign. "It was as if I was on autopilot. I lost it and-"

Sam stopped him, putting two hands on either shoulder. Danny looks so panicked, frantic. It really did make her feel bad seeing him like this. "Danny, stop," she said, trying to make her tone both soothing and stern. It was a powerful combination when dealing with stuff like this. It was also getting easier to make such a combination since it was getting to be routine. "Tell me exactly what happened. I swear, this is getting to be a problem. One day you're going to end up hurting someone really bad."

"I don't want to hurt anybody," Danny said, exasperated.

"I know you don't," Sam assured him. "But we need to find the link between all of this and try to prevent it from happening again. It's that simple."

"Easier said than done," Danny murmured, rubbing his eyes. "This is just so complicated."

"What's complicated?" asked a voice. Perfect timing, as usual. Both teens turned towards the new presence.

"Nothing," Danny replied towards his red-head older sister Jazz. Jazz looked at him suspiciously.

"Danny," she said. "I heard a commotion down the hallway. A fight? You wouldn't have had anything to do with it, would you?" Danny looked at her, but failed to look at her in the eye. She sighed. "Why did you do it?" she asked. She was getting tired of this happening.

"It's not my fault," Danny said, really tired of explaining himself again and again to different people.

"We're just concerned, Danny," Sam told him. "I mean, we can't have this happening to often. People will start to think you're going crazy."

"You seem almost hypocritical," Jazz agreed. "One minute you want to back down and the next you're taking people down with a single swing. Danny, it's not normal."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe something's wrong with me?" Danny asked suddenly. Both teens were clearly taken by surprised by the sudden question. "I've been doing a lot of thinking," Danny explained slowly. "I really think this has something to do with when-"

He was cut short by the shrill scream of the bell ringing to remind them they had to go to class. He sighed. Of course, interruptions were so common now. Every time he tried to say something, another thing always broke his explanation short. Sam and Jazz both looked at him. "Talk to you guys later?" Jazz asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, bye, Jazz," she said. "Come on, Danny. We'd better head to class." Danny walked with her to their first period. Hopefully science would be a little stress-relieving. If not, well, they had the rest of the day to kill.

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Meanwhile, off in the Ghost Zone, someone was viewing this all closely. "It's getting to be too late," said a wise, old-sounding voice. He looked into the screen and watched as Danny and Sam talked about something. "I must...warn them of what is to come." 

Out of nowhere, two observants appeared. "Clockwork," the first said. "We need your help once again."

"It is about the Danny Phantom boy," said the second.

"His future is at stake," said the first.

"I know," Clockwork said gruffly, currently a little annoyed by their sudden intrusion. "I was planning to tell him as well.

"Why did you not tell him before?" asked the first.

"Why wait until now?" asked the second.

"You had a month and a couple of weeks," said the first.

"You had nearly a month and a couple of weeks!" echoed the second.

"I know what I'm doing," Clockwork said. "I just wanted to see if the boy would come to me. I asked him a very puzzling question he has not yet answered. I wanted to see what he did to find that answer."

"What now?" asked the first Observant.

"I need to send him a fair message," Clockwork replied. He put a hand towards another screen and it spiraled for a second. A figure stepped out.

"What now?" the girl asked. She had long silver hair that fell over her shoulders and cold, ice blue eyes that seemed to bore right through her. She wore a white shirt and blue jeans. She looked at Clockwork with those cold blue eyesand glared daggers at the ghost.

Clockwork switched to a younger state and said, "This is Nemisis. Nemisis, the Observants; Observants, Nemisis."

The girl looked at the two strange-looking ghosts and smirked. "So you're the odd couple of ghosts that's always bugging Clockwork," she said. "Pleasure to meet you all."

"Hello," said the first.

"Pleasure to meet you as well," said the second.

Nemisis turned back to Clockwork. "What is it this time?' she asked. Clockwork merely made a small hand motion towards the screen and showed her what had happened a few hours before. Nemisis watched with wide eyes as the boy suddenly...changed. Even from this screen, she could sense something in him she could not quite comprehend. It was his anger. It rose to such levels... "Who is he?" she asked, eyes glued to the screen.

"Daniel Fenton," Clockwork said. "Also known as Danny Phantom. He is now and officially your charge for the time being."

Nemisis looked at him. "You're assigning me a charge?" she asked in disbelief. Clockwork nodded. The shock passed and she looked back at the screen. "He's powerful. That have anything to do with it?"

"A bit," Clockwork admitted. "He needs help. I want you to research his life. Learn as much as you can."

Nemisis smiled at that. "I will," she promised. "But what do you want me to do with him?"

"The boy's future is a bit at stake. You need to help him. But it is up to you to do it either directly, or indirectly. It's your choice," Clockwork said.

"Surely you are not going to trust this child with the boy's life!" the first Observant said.

"He is going to be vital in the future now!" said the second.

"Vital!" echoed the first.

"Stop repeating yourself," Clockwork said firmly. "I know what I'm doing. I know everything, remember?" He turned back to the girl. She looked interested in getting started. Already she was going through a few of the boy's memories. "I want you to first not tell him anything if you decide to do this directly," he stated. "He must find out for himself. But steer him in the correct direction."

"Don't get me wrong, Clockwork," Nemisis said. "And with all due respect, he's my assigned charge. I'll do what I can, but not everything you're saying. I choose whether or not I give him information. It's always fun to keep people guessing." A small smile curved her cherry-red lips.

"Do as you wish," Clockwork said. "But try not to mess the time-stream up too much."

Nemisis snapped her fingers. Behind a small, quick-flash, she was gone. Clockwork sighed. "She always did like pyrotechnics..."

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Meanwhile, the end of school had come and our three favorite people were wandering down the halls. Danny had lit up a little bit, but his thoughts of his probable future self still lingered in his head. Could he be becoming evil too? No matter what he did, he couldn't help but sense that either something was trying to get to him, or maybe he was the one reaching out. 

Danny had found that he was starting to keep grudges against people: Luis, Dash, even some he hardly knew. He didn't know why, but something was not right. He promised himself to keep it secret from Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. Not to mention his parents. Jazz would go all therapist-like with him; Sam would become a little worried, not something he wanted; Tucker might be able to help, but he had a feeling he wouldn't understand; his parents, well, he could only imagine what nutty way they had built up to fix this kind of problem.

"Danny?" Sam asked him, seeing as her friend had suddenly grown quiet. Tucker was still laughing at their earlier joke. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered quickly. "Just...thinking."

"About earlier?"

"What did happen?" Tucker asked. Danny sighed. Tucker had been late to school because his alarm was once again turned off by a certain little cousin.

"It was nothing," Danny said. "Nothing at all. I just feel like something's really wrong here, is all."

"I could do some late research on the problem if you want," Tucker said, holding up his PDA. "Sam told me every detail about what happened down at when Vlad-"

Sam nudged the boy hard in the ribs, signifying she didn't want him to bring up the subject.

"Sorry, sheesh," Tucker mumbled, rubbing the spot.

"It's okay," Danny told her. "I don't mind talking about it. Besides, it's not like I'll go into a angry rampage because of the memory. It's no big deal."

"If you're sure," Sam said uncertainly.

"I am." Danny nodded feebly.

"All I'm saying is that if you ever want me to figure out anything about whatever made you beat Vlad up so much, I can always-"

"It's not like I meant to," Danny cut him short.

"I know, but obviously something made you get mad enough to almost beat the guy into a coma," Tucker said.

"I didn't mean to," Danny repeated, his words harsh and cold.

"I know," Tucker repeated. "That's why we need to find out what did that to you so we can stop it from happening again. I didn't mean to offend you, man."

"Danny?" Sam asked him again. Danny's glance was now downcast. He also looked as if he were trembling. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Danny said through clenched teeth. _Gotta keep control_, he thought._ I can't flip out...not now. _"I just need to think this through."

"If you want some company..." Sam trailed off.

"It's okay," Danny assured her.

"You sure you don't want me to do some research?" Tucker asked again/

"Just mind your own business," Danny snapped. tucker was shocked.

"Danny!" Sam said, shocked by his snapping at Tucker so sharply.

"I just need to think this through," Danny repeated, holding his head as if he were trying to block something out. "I need some time to think." They had already arrived at his house. They were going to stay over to hang out, but it seemed plans had changed.

"Danny," Sam started.

"Come on, Sam," Tucker said. "Let's give him some space..."

"I'm sorry guys," Danny said.

"No need," Tucker said and he and Sam walked away after waving good-bye.

"I don't want to hurt you," Danny whispered, looking up just in time to catch a small glimpse of Sam's expression. "I don't want to."

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_"As days go by, my heart grows cold  
I can't seem let this all pass me by..."_

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E/N: I don't own 'Blood (Empty Promises)' nor 'Take Me' by Papa Roach. 

--Airamé Phantom


	4. New Friend?

A/N: I hope the chapter isn't sucky! I decided to up-date 'cause...well, that's not important. Anyway, on with the chapter!**

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**Chapter Three**

**New Friend?**

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_"Something isn't right  
I can feel it again  
__Feel it again  
This isn't the first time..."_

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Next day. School. Tuesday. 

Danny sat against the wall of his locker, face buried in a book. Sam walked up to him and looked at him questioningly. Either he was trying to draw his focus away from something by studying, or he was asleep like that. She crouched down and touched his shoulder. "Danny?"

Danny jumped suddenly at feeling a hand on his shoulder. The book fell from his hands with a semi-loud clap. "Sam," Danny whispered, picking himself up and standing. Sam stood as well, smiling.

"Did I scare you?" she asked.

"Course not," Danny objected. He picked up the book and said, "What's up?"

"Wanted to as what happened yesterday," Sam said.

"Nothing really," Danny said. "Just had to cool down from that morning. Sorry I didn't call you."

"It's okay," Sam said. "So are we still up for a movie today? "

Danny froze. Movie? What? "Damn," he hissed. "I forgot all about it!" Sam frowned. "And I can't go, my parents already booked me up to clean the lab today."

"We've been planning on this since last week's date was a total bust," Sam said, but was not exactly complaining.

"I'm really sorry, Sam, but I can't go today," Danny said.

Sam sighed. "It's okay, maybe another time then," she said. "Your parents are the bosses."

"You have no idea," Danny said.

"Bell's gonna ring soon, we should probably get going," Sam reminded.

"You go ahead, I'm just gonna put my stuff in my locker," Danny said. Sam shrugged and waved shortly before walking off to class. Danny sighed. Another date gone down the drain. Sam and He haven't been on a date since...since...When was their last date? Danny groaned and now really felt like punching something. It's a good thing his ghost sense went off, that distracted him for a little bit.

The temperature seemed to drop. Before long, his own breath was visible before him with a slight blue tint. Danny looked around: no one in the hall. Good. He stepped off to see if the ghost was anywhere near the area, then settled down to go ghost. "Going ghost!" he quietly exclaimed his battle cry. He was surprised nobody noticed this. The white-blue ring formed about his waist, traveling up and down his body before vanishing once Danny had been turned into the one and only Danny Phantom.

He floated up into the air, hoping to find this ghost quickly and blow off some steam. Imagine his surprise when he sees someone coming down the hall. He was about to turn invisible to not be seen, but stopped when he looked at the girl closely. Her hair was silvery white and long, growing way past her shoulders. She was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. But Danny's eyes first landed on the girl's cold, ice-blue eyes. He immediately was hit with an emotion he couldn't comprehend but knew the name of perfectly: fear. This was not your average girl, and he that straight away.

But what got him more is that it looked like she was looking for someone. She stood across the hall from him, facing left and turned in that direction. Danny could hear her mumbling something, but didn't understand. Then, the girl turned in his direction and he realized he should have turned invisible because she walked right towards him!

She didn't look surprised to see Danny Phantom in the hall, and she didn't look shocked to see someone was floating in the air if she'd never heard of him. She looked totally calm. It only made Danny feel more uneasy. Who was she? Realization struck. _Was she the ghost_?

He didn't move, only floated down to the ground as the girl came within a yard's distance. "There you are," she said. Her voice was soft, defiant. "Been looking for you."

"Me?" Danny asked, confused. "Why? Who are you?"

"Well you're quite the curious one. He didn't tell you'd be asking so many questions," the girl said. Danny couldn't tear his eyes from her own.

"He?" he managed to get past his throat.

"There you go again," the girl said, putting her hand on her hips and turning away just barely enough to hide a small smile. She turned back to him and said, "Curiosity killed the cat you know."

Danny scowled. He had asked a simple question and was not in the mood to go in circles over this. "Look, I've got a very busy schedule and..." He was interrupted by the tardy bell for class. "...And am officially late," he murmured softly. He sighed. "I've got to go." He began to go intangible and phase through the floor when the girl suddenly smiled.

He quickly phased through completely and flew to his class, landing on the floor and running the rest of the way, resuming human form in the process. He was so dead meat!

* * *

Danny was late to class. He got detention, and it turns out they had a pop quiz that morning. It looked like he was going to fail science class after all. Now he was just sitting down on one of the tables at lunch. He was waiting for Sam and Tucker who had math right now. He could have called the moment a little bit peaceful if not for the sudden annoying intrusion. "You ran off this morning," the voice said. 

Danny nearly fell from his spot at knowing who was making that voice, but kept his balance and disguised it as him getting off the table. "What?" he asked, turning to the silver-haired girl from that morning. How did she...when did she...

...how does she know who he is and what is she doing here?

"This morning," the girl repeated. "You just left."

"Sorry, do I know you?" Danny asked, trying to withhold his secret identity for as long as possible. She surely didn't know it was him, right? I mean, she couldn't know. He'd never seen her before. _Ever_. The girl smiled thinly.

"Don't even try," she said and crossed her arms. "I know who you are."

"Really," Danny said, adding a small sarcastic tone to his voice. "You don't say."

"I'm just saying," the girl said. "I know more than you think."

Now Danny felt he was on the verge of confessing. She sounded very sure of what he thought she thought she knew. What if she did know he was Phantom? That's not good seeing as he doesn't even know her. "Just who are you?" he asked harshly. He had to find out.

"Does it matter?" she asked in reply.

"I'm not in the mood for going in circles," Danny snapped.

"We're not going in circles."

"Just leave me alone, will you?" Danny glared daggers at the girl and turned, beginning to walk away.

"You'll find that you will eventually need help," the girl murmured from behind him, but did not follow. Danny stopped but didn't look at her.

"With what?" he asked. She didn't answer. "With-" He stopped talking as he found that she was gone. He looked around to see if he could spot her, but it was as if she'd just vanished. Not to mention no one seemed to have noticed anything of what had just occurred. He blinked. He had thought he was losing his mind before, but now?

"Hey, Danny," Tucker called. "You gonna eat or what?" Danny turned to look at his two best friends. He hadn't noticed them coming in, but they already had their lunch trays in their hands. Danny walked towards them.

"You guys didn't see anyone talking to me, did you?" he asked them.

"No," they answered uncertainly.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Just wondering," Danny said. So they hadn't seen her. Had he imagined it all? Man, this was so confusing.

* * *

"Ah, it's always funny to keep them guessing," said a very familiar voice from outside the lunch area. 

"You're going to have to tell him," said a voice from behind her. The old-sound was easily perceived as Clockwork. "You have no choice now."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I will," she said. Clockwork narrowed his eyes at her, but she didn't even blink, only looked down at the small mirror-like object in her hands. The mirror held the moving image of what Danny and his friends were doing at the moment. "Eventually," the girl added in a quiet voice.

* * *

E/N: I don't own 'Predictables' by Good Charlotte. If I did, every store from California to...California would be listening to that song 24/7! 

--Airamé Phantom


	5. Untitled

A/N: Aha! I finally up-date! Sorry, ben kind of busy with stuff. Well, enjoy!**

* * *

**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

After school Danny found himself just about living in the lab for a long time. He had to clean out the beakers, make sure the portal's Genetic Lock was working, take out the trash, organize everything he could, and take some things out to the shed. He wiped the sweat off his brow and sat down at the bottom step. He'd managed to get detention that day but he somehow also managed to have a lot of time left to spare after doing all his chores in the lab. Maybe Sam and he could catch a late-night movie. It was only seven o'clock now. He grinned as he looked at his watch. If he hurried, they could still catch that movie she wanted to see. It was horror film she thinks would really be good. He, on the other hand, called it baloney. She wanted to prove him wrong by watching it. Looks like their theories might just get proven. 

Danny began to go up the stairs, going over everything in his head. First, ask parents. Second, call Sam. Third, take shower and get dressed. Fourth, have a great date without any ghostly interruptions. "Most important, he said aloud, walking out the kitchen into the living room. "make sure I don't-" He stopped dead in the middle of his sentence and in his tracks. In his living room was the one person he hoped to never see again. Uhm, he didn't know her name, but just seeing her made him angry. "You!" he exclaimed.

The silver-haired girl looked up at him. His parents were sitting on the couch opposite the one she was sitting on. Maddie looked at her son and smiled. "Oh hey there, sweetie, we were just talking to your friend," she said. She looked back at the girl. "What's your name again, honey?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I never properly introduced myself," the girl said in her defiant-sounding voice. She stood and gave a short bow. "My name is...Nami, Nami Wade...ston."

"And boy is she great!" Jack bellowed.

"Please, Mr. Fenton, you flatter me," the girl said. Danny knew by the short pauses she took that she had made up the name from the top of her head. She wasn't the one to be trusted, and this only from a few meetings with her.

"She likes talking about ghosts!" Jack continued on. The girl faked a good imitation of a giggle.

"Well, we do share a great interest," she said. "It's no wonder Danny is such a great guy with such great parents." Danny crossed his arms and looked at her. What was she doing here and how did she know where he lives? What kind of game did she think she was playing?

"Jack, please settle down," Maddie said. Jack beamed. "Thank you, Nami. I-"

"Why are you here?" Danny cut in. The girl looked at him. She grinned innocently.

"I'm just here to drop a short visit. Plus, I've got something to tell you that's very important," she said. Now it was Danny's turn to smirk.

"Well then," he said. "I guess I have some time. What is it you want to tell me?"

"It's not exactly for everyone's ears," she said, her smile disappearing.

"I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind, would you mom? Dad?" Danny said. The girl's jaw dropped slightly and she shook her head incredulously, looking as his parents merely shook there heads.

"Well, go ahead," Danny said, urging her on. "What are the _big_ _news_?"

The girl scowled at him, then decided to play his game. Let's see if he regrets it later. She cleared her expression and said, "I'm sure you have not forgotten when Clockwo-"

"Oh, look at the time," Danny cut in quickly. Great, it didn't work. She was going to say it anyway. "Mom, dad, I'm going to head up to my room to finish all the homework I was left for school today. Nami, will you join me?" Nami, as she named herself, nodded quickly and stood.

"Pleasure to meet you all," she said, bowing again, and began up the stairs behind Danny. Danny went grumbling on about something incoherent. His parents were left wondering what was going on. The girl smiled. Once in his room, Danny quickly closed the door, bolted it. This girl was a ghost, he knew, she could phase out whenever she wanted; but he didn't want his parents intruding.

"What is it you want?" Danny asked, turning to her, away from the door. the silver-haired girl sat on his bed, scanning around.

"Nothing really," she said. "I want nothing from you. But I got to say, you are quite the clever one as well." She stood and walked over to him. She walked so casually, as if nothing was going on. Danny scowled as she stood in front of him. "You know," she started. "It's not like I'm a threat. I could be, but that's not why I'm here."

Danny pushed past her and threw his arms in the air. "Then why are you here?" he asked, frustrated now. "I'm not in the mood for circle today! I had enough of that this morning. Which brings me to my second question: how did you know who I am? I've never met you."

"Why do you always somehow end up revealing your secret identity to the ghosts you fight?" the girl shot back. Danny groaned and sat down on his bed. The girl walked up to him again and sat down beside him. "Look," she said. "I don't like to fool around. I always say it's fun to keep people guessing, but your anger is building up, and-"

"Hey, whatever-your-real-name-is, stop talking to me as if your lecturing me," Danny said.

"I'm not lecturing you, but will you just listen!" the girl asked, getting a bit impatient. This was one knuckle-headed boy! "Your own anger will be your demise."

Danny shook his head and leaned forward on his knees, causing the girl to stop talking. "I can control my anger just fine," he stated firmly, looking at her. "I don't have anger issues."

"I never said you did," she said. "But I know that you've been noticing something strange every time you get into a tight spot. Take beating up that Luis guy, for instance? Tell me you didn't feel anything."

"I don't know what you're talking about. What was I supposed to feel?" he asked. "I didn't mean to beat him up, it just happened."

"That is exactly what I mean," she pointed out. "Something inside you is beginning to snap. Once it does, something not so nice is going to happen. You need to stop it."

"I don't know what it is," Danny said sternly.

"I'll give you a clue, wise guy, you are the cause of whatever's gonna happen. And it's going to happen whether or not you like it. But you can change the out-come. Think about it." The girl stood up them.

"Wait, that didn't make sense," Danny started. "If I'm the cause, can't I..." he stopped as he looked up. The girl was gone. He sighed. "just stop it before it happens..." he finished sadly. He sighed again. This was just so confusing. He was surprised he hadn't gone insane yet. Realization struck. Wait! Insane! The movies! He looked at the clock. They still had time!

Danny jumped up from his seat, grabbed some fresh clothes, and made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower. Maybe, after a date with Sam, he could think this through and crack this puzzle. That girl didn't seem to be of any help at all.

* * *

Outside the house, the girl watched in her mirror-like screen as Danny went rushing abut trying to get ready for his date. He'd called Sam, gotten permission from his parents, this should get good. She sighed. "I hate it when they've got someone important to be with when Time needs them most," she murmured. The image in the mirror fogged up, then resumed its clarity as Clockwork came into view.

"Nemisis, tell him," he warned.

"I did."

"No you did not," Clockwork objected.

"Okay, so I left him guessing still, but I told him something! The boy's clever, he should figure it out."

"Have you _seen_ his report card?"

"Yes! Even the Box Ghost can figure this one out!"

Clockwork sighed. "Fine. But like I said, don't mess time up."

"I won't," she said, nodding feebly. She pocketed the glass and quickly went on her way as Danny exited his house. "Time for a stakeout."

* * *

E/N: I really hope it isn't very bad, the chapter, but I'm doing my best!

--Airamé Phantom


	6. That Ghost!

A/N: Sorry it took so long to up-date! I wasn't in writer's-block, just that I couldn't quite focus! But ehre's your chapter!**

* * *

**

**Chapter Six**

**That Ghost!**

* * *

Danny picked Sam up a few minutes after leaving his house. The walk to the movies, at least, would be a quiet one. Nemisis would teleport into different places during the walk. Sam and Danny talked about what they thought the movie would be like: Danny saying it would be cheap, Sam saying it would be interesting. Either way, it was mostly small talk. And when it stopped, Danny would get a little spacey and distant. "Something on your mind, Danny?" Sam asked as they entered the mall. 

"Not really," Danny answered in reply, but looked around the mall, almost as if searching for someone. It was only 7:48 PM. The mall should still have been filled with people. But it wasn't exactly as he'd thought. It was somewhat vacant. "Wow," he mumbled.

"No kidding," Sam said. "But look, no one at the ticket counter." She pointed at the lonely counter where two bored looking teenagers stood leaning forward onto the marble base of the counter, chewing on some gum.  
And the theater is bound to be empty."

"Whatever you say, Sam," Danny said and walked with her over to the ticket counter to get their tickets for the movie.

"What can I get you?" the teenager at the counter said.

"Uhm, two tickets for the movie...Insane Rider?" he said, taking out his wallet all the while he spoke and eyed the screen behind the teenager on the wall that said all the movies and the times they would be starting.

"That'll be sixteen," the teen said. Danny held out the money and was handed two tickets in return for it. "Thanks."

Danny gave Sam her ticket and grasped her hand. "Talk about gentleman," Sam mumbled. "I was going to buy my own ticket."

"I don't think so," he said, smiling. "Listen, we should head over into the theater already."

"Okay, sure," Sam said. She grabbed hold of his hand and both went running towards the movie theater they were supposed to be in. The movie would start in about fifteen minutes - counting previews - and they hoped that, since it was the premiere of the movie, it wouldn't be packed. Someone at the door of the theater took their tickets and they went inside, walking around the wall that surrounded the side of the seats. As they came around, they could see that the seats were about half-way full. "Not bad," Sam mumbled. "Come on, there are two seats empty at the back!"

They climbed up the stairs at the side and moved along towards the center of the row to the seats they planned to occupy. The previews were near ending by now, a few more minutes left. They hadn't gotten any popcorn or anything, but they were glad to have gotten these seats seeing as later on, more and more people began to clamber into the cavernous room in search of seats and to no avail. Then, finally the movie began and nearly scared the bejeebers out of Sam. She jumped as a face suddenly came on the screen. She chuckled nervously seeing as she had grabbed on to Danny's arm in her fright. "Sorry," she whispered. Danny grinned. He didn't care.

Nemisis giggled to herself. She was sitting in the small window where the movie was being shot out from. She sat in front of the camera-thing, intangible and invisible. Watching the couple made her laugh. This boy, despite all the anger building inside him, had a girl friend. It would be interesting to see what precautions he would take when he found out the truth.

Along the movie, Sam jumped a couple of times, others screamed, Danny laughed silently at their reactions. Compared to all the things he'd seen, this was nothing. And for some reason, the gory scenery in the movie almost made him want to laugh, as if, and this may sound a little strange, as if he enjoyed watching it. Sam was scared out of her mind in the middle with Jacob, or the 'Insane Rider', chopped off the head of his best friend Maria and lit it on fire. Danny only held her hand as she clung to his arm for dear life. His amusement, however, was short-lived when a very familiar cold sensation filled his entire body and, in the darkness, he noticed a thin wisp of smoke escape his lips. Sam felt a cold then, Danny's ghost sense leaving her chilled too. She looked at him. Danny looked serious, angry even. "Go ahead," she said, when he turned to glance at her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's alright, just make sure you teach that ghost a lesson," she said, smiling. Danny grinned and stood, making his way out of the row, down the steps, and out of sight. Sam settled into her chair to watch all the gory images on the movie screen. Above near a small window, Nemisis watch Danny leave the theater. She teleported out of there, and quickly followed.

* * *

Danny ran out the theater, glad that the mall was almost empty of it's clientele. He ran into an empty hall and was about to transform, when certain sounds caught his ear: screaming. And he was sure it wasn't coming from the theater. This was real, agonized and frightened screaming. And he knew exactly where it was coming from.

Forgetting to turn into his alter-ego, Danny ran forward out of the movie place and towards the railing to the look down at the first floor of the mall below. He leaned over and his eyes widened as a small gasp escaped his throat. "No way," he whispered. The ghost...**_THAT GHOST!_**

His teeth clenched as the few screaming people that were shopping in the mall began to scatter, trying to reach the outside of the mall and free themselves of this evil's grasp. But the ghost clad in black and white merely brought one fist up, which glowed an eerie red color and doors slammed shut all around Danny, who looked in the direction of the loud claps of doors slamming shut. Scream still rang out, more frantic than before.

Then, the ghost finally looked up towards Danny and grinned a fanged smile wickedly. Danny bared his teeth in challenge and jumped onto the ariling, bent on jumping over the edge and transforming as he went. The ghost seemed to expect this, but before Danny could do anything, he found a hand on his shoulder pulling him. He yelled out as he was pulled backwards and out of sight back into the halls of the cinema. The ghost on the first floor frowned as his quarry vanished. "What's the big idea!" Danny shouted out. The two teenagers that used to be at the counter were now gone.

"You can't fight him yet!" the familiar voice shouted in reply. "He'll only lead you into causing more chaos!"

"Let me go!" Danny pulled himself out of the girl's grasp and turned towards her. He glared at the ghost before him. "Don't get in my way." His hands were tight fists and his eyes flashed green before returning to their original baby blue color.

"I was hired to do so," she said. Not a single soft or warm look passed over those cold, ice blue eyes.

"I won't tell you again," Danny said and began to walk away back towards the screaming crowds, when the girl grasped both shoulders and pushed him backwards towards a wall, pinning him down.

"No, you listen to me!" she said harshly. "I'm telling you it's a bad idea. He's trying to steer you in the wrong direction. By picking this fight, you'll only be making his job easier!"

"You don't know anything about me!" Danny said.

"I know you better than you know yourself." Nemisis's voice had a sharp edge to it that made Danny hesitate. Her eyes revealed nothing but knowledge to him. A stern weariness that told him she was not a normal ghost. The screams began to die down and a small explosion was heard. Both teens looked towards where people were running out from the movie theaters and into the regular mall.

"Oh no..." Danny whispered as the crowd frantically ran out in search of escape. "Sam..."

* * *

E/N: I don't like to use the same form of bait more than once (meaning Sam getting kidnapped or something) So 'dun worry 'bout that. Anywho, hope you liked the chapter!

--Airamé Phantom


	7. Dan's Back!

A/N: An up-date! Woot! And this chapter is for Axel (Insubordinance if you'd like to read her fics!) because, well, she loves this fic! Anywho, on with this chapter!**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seven**

**Dan's Back!**

* * *

Danny looked at Nemisis, but the girl refused to look at him. her arms were crossed and she had her gaze turned away from him. He sighed. "If he's got Sam, I'll beat him to a pulp, if he doesn't..." he trailed off, not caring for what her opinion would be on the matter. He ran off into the now forming crowd. "Sam!" he shouted. Nemisis looked on after him. She walked off towards the railing to look down to the first floor. 

"He's still there and waiting," she mumbled. She looked around at the crowd that was cowering in fear as far from the evil future ghost as possible. Nemisis frowned. Wait a second...

Her eyes widened in realization and she turned towards where Danny had run. "Oh no..."

* * *

Danny walked between the frenzy, being knocked about by fearful people. "Sam?' he called out, looking for the black-haired Goth-girl. Where could she be? 

"Danny! I'm in here!" came her voice. Danny looked around. He didn't know where the voice was coming from. He stopped walking and looked around. Most people were out already, now trying to frantically find a way out.

"Where?" Danny called, walking forward again as he searched. He passed the theater where the movie he and Sam had been watching was still being played. He passed right by it. "Sam?" He stopped walking as a sound caught his ear from behind him. Thinking it was Sam, the boy began to turn around. "Sa-" he started, but was silence as the figure stopped him from turning by quickly looping an arm around Danny's throat and covering the teen's mouth.

"Right here."

"Eh mh oh!" Danny struggled, but was no match. Before long, he'd vanished into thin air along with the dark silhouette.

* * *

Nemisis ran back towards the theater rooms and searched around. She stopped in the middle of the hall and just chose a random theater and ran in. Seeing no one there, she began to rush back out. That's when something caught her eyes. 

"Clockwork sent you," came a voice over a loud-speaker. Nemisis froze and looked towards the screen in the front of the theater. She gazed upon the shadow there and scowled.

"What's it to you?" she shouted right back.

"The boy," the voice said. It was deep, hoarse, evil.

"Where is he, Dan?" Nemisis demanded.

"Oh, he's right here," Dan replied. Nemisis gasped. A new shadow came over the screen. Nemisis turned towards the projector window and her eyes widened. He wouldn't!

"You want him?" Dan asked. Nemisis could now see both Dan and Danny.

"Why are you doing this?" Nemisis asked. She could see Danny struggling to get out of Dan's grasp. The ghost had acquired new abilities, she knew. That was why Danny couldn't just phase through his grasp. He was forced to struggling with him. "I thought you only wanted to exist!"

"I do," Dan agreed.

"Then?" Nemisis growled. Danny was her responsibility now. If she failed to do her job, not only was she in trouble, so was everyone in Amity Park according to the Observants and Clockwork. She couldn't let that happen.

"I must instill a grudge in the boy," Dan said. "And that, my dear, takes time." With that said, Dan maneuvered Danny towards the projector window and shoved him outward.

"Ah!" Danny screeched and he found himself grabbing nothing but thin air to break his fall.

"Danny!" Nemisis's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened even more if that was possible.

* * *

"Danny?" Sam asked. She was wandering along through the halls of the cinema. She hadn't seen him on her way out the theater nor during the frenzy. Where was he? As a matter of fact, she didn't know why the frenzy was happening. She'd been watching the movie when all of a sudden someone started screaming outside. The scream had trailed off and some of the people began whispering. Sam had focused on trying to hear what all the fuss was about - not looking at the screen anymore. Then, a girl near the back pointed towards the screen and screamed. Sam hadn't caught what had happened, but others had. 

"Danny!" came a voice and Sam was sent whirling around on her heels before running off in the direction from which she'd come. That wasn't a voice she could recall at all. But she did know it was a teenage girl's voice. Who was it? If it were someone she knew she'd recognize it...

Sam tried to keep her mind from giving her bad thoughts and she continued on her way. She finally found the theater she'd been in before and heard what sounded like a thud and evil laughter. And then, "Danny?"

Sam rushed inside. The first she saw was a ghostly silhouette plastered on the screen. She gasped at the sight of who it could be. She then shifted her focus towards where a someone who looked like a girl was running up the steps to the back row. Sam followed suit.

"What's going on?" Sam shouted.

The silver-haired girl didn't stop running, only replied over her shoulder, "Dan's back!"

* * *

E/N: Haha! I up-dated and then I leave you there! buwahahaha! Ehm...I hate to hurt Danny...  
Danny: As if!  
me: It's true! Ya know I luvz ya!  
Danny: -shiver- 

--Airamé Phantom


	8. Bags, Flags, and Gags

A/N: MUST NEEDED UP-DATE! XD

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Bags, Flags, and Gags**

* * *

Sam froze on her feet, but quickly thawed and followed to the top row of seats. Dan was back? But how? Clockwork had him. Clockwork would have stopped him! He couldn't get out, could he? Danny told them so! But wait...Oh no! DANNY! 

"Are you alright?" the girl's voice drifted into her ears and Sam shook her head, focusing on the more important things. She turned into the narrow aisle of seats where someone was huddled up on the ground in the dark. The girl was helping him up. Sam's breath caught in her throat. "Danny..." she mumbled, "Danny!" and walked towards the fallen figure hastily. The silver-haired girl got out of the way, knowing Sam would want to see Danny first.

Sure enough, said Goth girl got down to her knees, immediately tried to helpd Danny to stand. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she asked, mind racing. Danny winced, but nodded his head, trying to stand.

"I'm...fine," he groaned. He tired to put on a shakey smile. "The...chair broke my fa--gah!" He touched his back, sitting up instantly. Sam flinched, afraid she'd caused him to be pained.

"Careful. Maybe you shouldn't move," she urged. "How did you fall? What happened?"

"Dan..." Danny gurnted, beginning to stand. Sam helped him up, albeit despite her best interests for him, and lowered down one of the folded seats of the the theater. She gulped and nearly winced herself as Danny made another pained groan as he sat. He was breathing hard, hugging his arm close to him. "Dan's back..."

"But how...?" Sam questioned, sitting down next to the boy.

"He got out of the thermos, no doubt," the silver-haired girl said. All this time she'd been looking around the room, making sure there wasn't anyone around to have seen such an event. Sam looked at her, narrowing her eyes.

"Just who are you?" she asked pointedly, narrowing her eyes. Nemisis turned to them and rose an eye brow before putting on a sly girn.

"Why, how rude of me! I'm Nemisis," she said, putting out a hand to shake. Neither teen moved. Frowning, she sighed deeply and said, "Well, I guess it's about time I start to tell you about them, now that things have gotten complicated."

"Tell us about who?" Danny asked, voice pinched.

"Well, Dan for starters," Nemisis said and approached him slowly. Her eyes swept over his figure, almost analyzingly. "I can tell you about him for the moment. The rest will become apparent in Time." She stopped right next to him and touched his shoulder, sitting down on the chair next to him. "Does this hurt?" she asked, lifting the arm he had been hugging to his body. He flinched. "I'll take that as a yes..."

"It's not broken," Sam asked quietly. "Is it?"

"No," nemisis replied and lowered it. "Just don't move it much for now I'll see if I can help with the pain in a minute." She continued inspection. "Tell me when you think it's getting uncomfortable," she advised and ran her hand firmly but smoothly up his arm to his shoulder. "And tell me when it hurts..."

"What about Dan?" Sam asked, returning to their previous topic. She watched as she began to trace down Danny's side before tracing his chest.

"Well, his getting out was kind of an accident," she said, voice soft. "Apparently someone decided it'd be fun to sneak into Clockwork's lair and mess with the thermos. They didn't know what they were dealing with, though, Dan was kept pretty much a secret from everyone. Dan got out and let's say it was an..._explosion _of fun for hi-" Danny winced.

"Sorry," Nemisis murmured, keeping her hand on the lower left of his abdomen. "Looks like you being Mr. Machoman now kinda came in handy. No broken bones at all..."

"I don't know whether to say thank you to that comment, or say 'thank god'," Danny groaned. "Now, what can you do about it. My arm's useless..."

"Be patient," Nemisis frowned and rolled her eyes. He hand began to glow an eerie blue color and Danny relaxed visibly. "Anyway," Nemisis continued. "He made a run for the nearest ghost portal which just so happened to be blocked off by a giant football and that's how he got into the human realm."

Danny and Sam shared a glance. "Vlad."

Nemisis rose an eye brow, but continued with the healing process. "I see you know the owner?" she asked. She hadn't searched into Danny's personal connections. Was this Vlad guy some relative or friend of the family?

"Boy, do we," Sam murmured, breathing in deeply.

"Any chance you might be worried about him?" Nemisis asked. Her hands stopped glowing and Danny flexed his fingers, sighing.

"Not really worried," Sam answered. "Why?"

Nemisis sank into the chair and shrugged her shoulder That healing thing must take a lot out of her. She smiled and looked at them.

"'Cause I hear he's staying at Amity Park Emergency Hospital."

* * *

_NEXT DAY..._

"_What_ happened?" Tucker asked yet again as the trio waited for one of the blue or white clad doctors to allow them into Vlad's room. Danny groaned and slumped his shoulders.

"Tuck, we already told you three times," he said exasperatedly. He leaned forward on his knees. "Dan's back. Someone accidentally released him from the thermos and he attacked Vlad."

"But, tell me again exactly how he's a threat? You beat him last time, how much more powerful can he be?" Tucker asked, sitll unbelieving.

"All we know is that he is, plain and simple," Sam said, shrugging her shoulder.

"He's got some new powers that's gonna make real combat pretty hard," Danny mumbled.

"Plus, it looks like there are some rules of ectoplasm that we didn't know before," Sam added. She sighed and tapped her foot, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head. "There's _a lot _we didn't know."

"And how are we going to find out?" Tucker asked.

"We've got help," Danny said simply and before Tucker could ask another question, a soft voice broke into their conversation.

"Danny, Sam, and Tucker?" the woman clad in blue asked.

"Yes, that's us," Sam said. The tiro stood up on silent comand and the woman looked them over with her brown eyes.

"Alright, come with me," she said and turned and walked away.

"Here we go..." Danny whispered and they followed suit.

* * *

Vlad's room was very quiet and very private. The nurse let them in and closed the door securely behind her. There had been two bodyguards standing outside his door, even. The man himself held a small control-like device in his hand and Danny knew it was to buzz for help in case of emergency. He stared at Vlad and a strange loathe-filled feeling washed over him. Vlad was all bandaged up so that skin was only visible in a few places. His hands, his arm, his forehead. He even had a cast on his leg. And where skinw as visible, bruises aligned his body. 

The heart-monitor beeped slowly, regularly. Danny only stared.

"So I have visitors," came the croaky voice of Vlad.

"Hi, Vlad," Sam whispered softly and was the first to move, then Tucker, and finally, Danny. Sam pulled up a chair and sat at Vlad's side, staring at the thin tubes attached to him that lead to a bag of clear liquid that was hanging form a portable pole thing. She sighed and stared back at the man, who was staring back. His eyes looked tired, hurt, and weary. He looked so..._old_.

"How are you doing?" Danny asked, standing at the foot of Vlad's bed.

Vlad switched his attention to him and a small smile stretched his lips. "Why, Danny, I never thought you'd ask..." he whispered. But the smile vanished. "Not so well...I got pretty - how do the kids say it - beat up...?"

"Yeah," Tucker murmured, eyes staring around the otherwise empty room. "That's exactly how we say it."

Vlad sighed. "But that is not the only reason you came here, is it?" Vlad asked, staring at Danny, who solemnly looked down. Vlad's gaze fell. "I thought so..."

"Vlad, who did this to you?" Danny asked, looking shyly at him.

Vlad stared at the ceiling. "I'm not sure..." he whispered, aware of the three pairs of eyes settled on him. "It's a blur. I remember reading at my desk and then...an explosion from the portal...A firgure stepped out and I tried to fight back but..."

"...he was too powerful..." Danny completed.

"Yes," Vlad said, closing his eyes and nodding. "He was but. But - how did you know it was a "he"?"

"Quick guess," Dany mumbled. "Let's just say he's my latest enemy."

"I won't ask questions," Vlad said. "But I do caution you, Daniel, and friends - take good care of how you use your powers and how you play along with that ghost's mind games. I do not know anything that might be able to help you in your fight with him, should it come, but I do know how you may be able to help yourself."

Danny stood up straighter, ears eager to hear what he had to say.

"There is a stone. It-" Vlad didn't complete the sentence. A cough escaped his throat, triggering a long line of other coughs until he could hardly speak.

"Vlad," Sam asked, scared. She stood up slowly, not knowing what to do. As if on cue, a nurse entered the room. "You kdis have to leave now," she stated firmly and allowed them exit before getting to work on calming Vlad down. A couple of other nurses came in as well as Danny, Tucker, and Sam were kicked out. The door closed and the last thing Danny saw was Vlad pointing at a duffelbag that was half-open at the corner of his room. Danny didn't catch sight of what was in it. "W-wait!" he shouted.

But the door had closed.

* * *

E/N: I think I'm starting to get interested in this fic. 8) It's somewhat of a mystery to me now XD 

--Airamé Phantom


End file.
